Smoke and mirrors on the dais

It was a council session about smoking restrictions (“Proposed updates to smoking ban heat up,” Sept. 27), but it was more like a staged session with smoke and mirrors.

There is a tell-tale sign that regular council watchers use to identify an ordinance designed to do the opposite of what the council claims it does. Council members become extremely verbose. It is as if someone turned on the blabber switch as they aim to misdirect and confuse the public with all kinds of stories and personal experiences that only serve to give the appearance that they are emotionally in tune with the public.

Tuesday's action was set up to increase smoking for outdoor hotel areas, and executive buildings with large common patios used as banquet facilities. A simple ordinance to increase the smoking areas for these commercial establishments would have brought the wrath of anti-smoking forces. Their answer? Misdirect like crazy.

Council members then proposed increasing the restrictions on second-hand smoke for multi-family housing. That's how we got to know about Councilman Ara Najarian's recent experience living in an apartment building and his sad-eyed anecdote on second-hand smoke affecting Fifi the dog.

These council members must have had a laugh-fest behind closed doors after the long-winded council session